Trials
cars, dimensionally smaller than the Mark 1. Based on a
modified Austin 7 chassis, with a Ford 8 side valve engine.
Was later upgraded to a Ford 10 1172cc engine producing
25 - 30 bhp.

Mark
3

1951

2
+ 1 chassis

Circuit
car based again on a boxed-in Austin 7 chassis (with cross
members) and an aluminum body. The car weighed only 370
kg and had a modified Austin 7 engine, with "siamesed" inlet
ports and Stromberg twin choke carburetor, helping produce
a 50bhp engine with a 0-50mph in 6.6 seconds. The first
car to be designated with a Mark number. Lotus Engineering
Company was formed on 1 January 1952.

Was
going to be an Austin engined racing car, based on the Mark
3, for the 750 formula. Project was never undertaken.

Mark
6

1953
- 55

110
(approx)

First
car to be made with a Lotus name. The car had a space frame
chassis and aluminum body and a Ford Console side valve
engine with 1172cc, later upgrade to 1498cc.First Production
car, sold to the public in kit form. The car was successfully
raced in the 1500cc class races at Silverstone.

Seven
S1

1957
- 60

243

Successful
light weight sports car, based loosely on the Mark 6, but
featuring a stronger space frame (1 inch diameter steel
tubing) and paneled in aluminum. Standard engine was a Ford
100E side valve unit producing 28bhp. It was also offered
with a BMC A-series engine and Coventry Climax unit. The
Lotus was provided in kit car form.

Seven
S2

1960
- 68

1310(approx)

As
the S1, but simplified construction, to making the car easier
and cheaper to produce. The S2 featured reduced chassis members,
simplified aluminum body (no labour intensive double curvature
aluminum body panels from S1). Initially the S2 had the Ford
100E side valve unit and BMC A series engine, from the Austin
Healey Sprite. However, in 1961 it featured the 105E Ford
engine from the Ford Anglia and later the 109E and 116E engines.
In 1967 Caterham became the sole distributor of the Seven.

Seven
S3

1968
- 70

350

The
S3 was an attempt to modernise the Seven. It featured the
new Ford 225E cross flow engine in 1297cc producing 72 bhp
and 1598cc engine producing 84bhp. In 1969 the Lotus Twin-Cam
SS was released, featuring a Cosworth modified Holbay Lotus
Twin-cam unit and a stronger Chassis. 13 were built. Production
of the S3 finished in 1969, however was still sold into 1970..

Mark
8

1954
- 55

7

A 2 seater sports cars, with a space frame chassis, designed
with the minimum number of tubes. The aerodynamic alloy
body work was designed by Frank Costin, Mike Costin's brother,
who was an aerodynamicist at de Havilland Aircraft Co. The
prototype car (reg SAR 5) featured a modified MG XPAG engine.
The car was batch produced for private order, featuring
a strengthened Mark 6 chassis. Car registered HUD 139 was
the first to feature a 1100cc Coventry Climax FWA engine
and MG TC gear box.

Mark
9

1955

30

A
single seater sportscar, similar to the Mark 8, but reduced
in length and rear wings. It had a shortened Mark 6 chassis
and featured a variety of engines, including the Coventry
Climax FWA engine, producing 75 bhp, an MG XPAG unit and
the Ford Ten unit. The car was successfully raced in competitions
and raced at the 1955 Le Mans. On the Ist January 1955,
Colin Chapman worked full time with Lotus (much to his Father's
displeasure).

Type
10

1955

6

As
Type 8, but designed to compete in the 2 litre class races.
The Lotus Type 10 had a Bristol 1971cc engine, producing 125bhp.
The car had a modified spaceframe, to house the larger engine
and disc brakes. Car No:4 was ordered by James Dean, who unfortunately
never took possesion.

Eleven
S1

1956
- 57

166

Successful,
aerodynamic competition sportcars with light-weight spaceframe
chassis, with the propshaft and floor being used as stressed
members, forming an integral part of the structural frame.
The Eleven had a Coventry Climax FWA or FWB engines or also
the Ford side valve engine. There were 3 models, the Le
Mans model, with the Climax FWA or FWB engine, the Club
model was had the same FWA engine, but with a live rear
axle and the Sport model featured the less powerful Ford
Side valve engine. The Eleven was very successfully raced
at 1100cc racing and virtually invincible. It was also raced
at Le Mans in 1956. The Mark's designation was dispensed
with.

Eleven
S2

1957
- 58

104

As
S1 with revised lighter suspension with larger wheel arches.
Still offered in Le Mans, Club and Sport models.

Type
12

1957
- 59

12

Single
seater racing car for the then new Formula 2 races. The car
featured the Coventry Climax FPF DOHC engine, with a chassis
with square profile tube lower rails and new suspension developed
by Colin Chapman, called the "Chapman Strut." Frank
Costin designed the body work.

Type
13

-

-

Never
made because it was an unlucky number!

Type
14 S1

1957
- 60

281

Lotus
Elite. Successful 2 seater production sportcars, with 1216cc
Coventry Climax FWE engine, fibre glass monocoque and a
fibre glass body produced by Maximar Mouldings (a boat building
company). The suspension comprised of double wishbones,
with combined coil / spring unit. The rear suspension featured
the Chapman Strut from the Type 12. Although the Lotus Elite
was a road car, it was frequently raced. 3 cars were entred
into the 1959 Le Mans, the best car finished 8th onerall
and best in it's class.

Type
14 S2

1960
- 63

749
(Approx)

Lotus
Elite. Revised supplier of the body shell from Bristol Plastics
produced a better quality moulding. There was revised suspension.
It was still expensive to produce and canceled in 1962.

Type
15

1958
- 60

27

A
Sports races based on the Type 11, but intended to run with
larger capacity engines. The body was revised slightly and
the was independant rear suspension, incorporating the Chapman
strut. There was also an improved 5 speed gearbox. The car
featured the Coventry Climax FPF, with engines sizes ranging
from 1475cc to 2495cc and 185 bhp. The car was successfully
raced in many competitions.

Type
16

1958
- 59

8

Single
seat racing car for Formula 1 & Formula 2. This car was
an attempt to emmulate the good work Colin Chapman had under
taken on the Vanwall in 1956 (The Costin / Chapman developed
1956 Vanwall won the constructers championship in 1956). The
car was low and featured a front engined, 62 degree inclined
Coventry Climax FPF engine, with engines sizes ranging from
1475cc to 2495cc. The racing car suffered problems with power
loss, vibration and engine lubrication. After limited success
with the car, Chapman was forced to admit that a rear engined
car, design by Cooper, was the way to go and work was started
on the type 18.

Type
17

1959

23

A
development of the Eleven, with revised lighter suspension,
incorporating MacPhersson strut-type front suspension. The
body work was rear designed by Len Terry to be more aerodynamic.
The car suffered handling problems and conventional wishbone
layout was adopted.

Type
18 FJ

1960-61

120
(approx)

A
rear engined, single seater Formular Junior racing car.
The car had a 995cc Cosworth - Ford 105E engine on a multi
tubular spaceframe. The body was constructed in Fibre glass
(Aluminium was used on the Prototype car). The car had a
square chassis and the body followed this form, with a square
form running it's length, described by some by some Journalists
at the time as an "extremely ugly, tank like body."
The car was an out right success in it class, winning just
about all major races in 1960.

Type
18 F1

1960
- 61

31

Similar
to the Formula Junior car, but with a 2495cc Coventy Climax
engine, a 5 speed Lotus gear box (fitted to the Type 15)
disc brakes all round, a GRP body. The car made it's mark
on the racing scene and established Lotus in F1.

Type
19

1960
- 62

17

The
"Lotus Monte Carlo", as it was nick named, the car
featured a rear engined Coventry Climax FPF 2495cc, producing
237bhp. The car was made from GRP, with aluminum on the lower
side panels.

Type
20

1961

118

A
rear engined, single seater Formular Junior racing car. The
car had a 997cc Cosworth - Ford 105E engine and later a 1098cc
Cosworth - Ford 109E engine. After the success of the Type
18, Lotus packed virtually the same componenets into a smaller
GRP bodied, lower car. The car enjoed great success in it
class.

Type
21

1961
- 62

11

A
rear engined, single seater Formula 1 racing car. The car
had the Coventry Climax FPF 1495cc engine, producing 155bhp
and a GRP body. The car was designed to fit a new V8 engine,
but the engine was not supplied. The car only won 1 GP at
Watkin Glen in the USA.

Type
22

1962

77

A
rear engined, single seater Formular Junior racing car, with
a 1097cc Cosworth - Ford 109E engine, with 103bhp. The car
was a replacement for the Type 20, with a stiffer chassis,
lower rear bodywork and more reclined driving postition. Girling
disc brakes were standard front and rear.

Type
23

1962

131

The
last small engine capacity Lotus sports racer. It featured
a Cosworth - Ford 109E engine, with 103bhp. The car featured
a stiffer space frame chassis and a GRP body. The car sold
very well and had much competition success. At the 1962
Le Mans, 2 23's were entered, officials disqualified the
car for having 6 studs on the rear wheels. So he changed
the rear wheels to 4 studs, but they refused to look at
them, saying it would be unsafe with 4 studs. In the face
of discrimantion against none domestic teams, Chapman vowed
he would never go back to Le Mans.

Type
24

1962

12
+ 3

A
rear engined, single seater Formula 1 racing car. 1 inch
longer in the wheel base, than than the Type 21, with a
humped engine cowling and twin protruding exhaust pipes.
The car had the 1497cc Coventry Climax FWMV V8 engine, producing
180 bhp. The car was very elegant and was supplied to existing
Lotus Customers only.

Type
25

1962
- 65

7

The
revolutionary Lotus Type 25 transformed Formula 1 car design.
It featured an aluminium monocoque chassis (meaning a single
shell chassis), rather than a spaceframe chassis. Chapman
had devised the idea on a napkin, after a lunchtime meeting
with Mike Costin. The car had the 1497cc Coventry Climax
FWMV V8 engine, with 4 twin choke down draught weber DCNL-4
carbureters, producing 200 bhp. In 1963, changes to the
car included fuel injection, a lighter monocoque and nose
cone air intake ducts. The Type 25 esablished it self as
the fastest car in F1, during 1962 and 1963, in the hands
of Jim Clark.

Type
26

1962
- 64

848

Lotus
Elan S1. Successful 2 seater production sportcars,
featuring a backbone chassis, with cross member cradling the
engine, gearbox and suspension. The body was designed by Ron
Hickman and moulded in GRP, in 2 part form, upper body and
lower floor plan and both were bonded together. The car had
a 1499cc Lotus - Ford twin-cam engine with 100bhp. The 1964
S2 had an upgraded 1558cc engine producing 105bhp,
improved suspension and a polished veneer dashboard. There
was a competition version of the Elan, designated the Type
26R from 1964 - 1966, which had wider wheel arches, improved
suspension and great power, delivering between 140 - 160bhp.
The 26R proved successful in racing competition.

Type
27

1963

35

A
rear engined, single seater Formular Junior racing car, with
a Ford Cosworth 109E 1097cc engine, producing 110bhp. It was
more compact than the Type 22, which it replaced. The car
had a monocoque chassis, with a GRP body. Initally the car
was under developed, as the monocoque lacked structural rigidity,
however through the year the car was develop and by May of
1963, the GRP body had been replaced with Aluminium body panels,
which improved the rigidity. 1963 was the last year that Formula
Juniors ran.

Type
28

1963
- 66

2894

Lotus
Cortina. A successful saloon car designed for Group 2 racing.
Ford decision to go motor racing (with the GT40) and Lotus's
requirment for money produced the Type 28. Mike Costin and
Keith Duckworth were brought in to develop the engine, the
1558cc Lotus - Ford Twin - cam with 105bhp. The Cortina
was fitted with Lotus suspension, reducing the ride height
and Chapman fitted light weight alloy door skins, bonnet
and boot lid and quarter bumpers to reduce the cars weight.
The car had disc brakes on the front and drum brakes on
the rear. The Mk1 was a resounding success on the circuit.
The Mk2 version was released in 1967, featured the Lotus
Twin Cam engine, however it was badged "Cortina Twin
Cam", instead of Lotus and was assembled at Ford. Production
ceased in 1970.

Type
29

1963

3

A
single seater Indianapolis racing car, with a rear mounted,
4195cc Ford Fairlane V8 dry sump, pushrod engine. The Type
29 chassis was similar to the Type 25, however it was dimensionally
longer and larger. The car proved successful and was re-entred
the following year.

Type
30

1964
- 65

33

A
2 seater sports car for Group 7 American "Big Banger"
racing. The car had a Ford 289 Fairlane V8 pushrod engine,
producing 350bhp and a ZF 5 speed gearbox. The car had an
Elan style, steel backbone chassis with a GRP body. The
car had many problems; including a weak chassis, disc breaks
(which over heated) and an under powered engine. Due to
the weak chassis, the car had handling problems on the track.
The Type 30 also had an all-in-one body, that didn't allow
adjustment to the suspension. Colin Chapman had intended
to base 4 or 5 cars around the Type 30 chassis, with 1600
Twin cam engines. The chassis was fine for that, but not
for the powerful Ford V8. The Series 2 car of 1965 was produced
to sort out some of the problems, it had a more powerful
5.3 litre Ford V8, vented discs, simpilfed rear suspension,
front and rear spoiler and low profile tyres. The S2 was
generally unsuccessful against Lola, Chaparral, and Mclaren.
The Lotus Type 40 was a further attempt to sort out the
30's problems.

Type
31

1964
- 65

12
+19

A
rear engined, single seater Formula 3 racing car. A racing
car derived for the new Formula 3 championship of 1964. The
car ran a Cosworth - Ford 109E engine and was based largely
on the Type 22 car, with the same spaceframe chassis and modifications
to the suspension. The competition had adopted the new monocoque
chassis and the Type 31 struggled against them.

Type
32

1964

12

A
rear engined, single seater Formula 2 and Tasman racing car.
In Formula 2 form the car had a 998cc Cosworth - Ford SCA
engine. The car featured a monocoque chassis, a developement
of the Type 27 car. For 1965, the car was entred into the
Australian Tasmin competition and was fitted with a the car
Coventry Climax FPF 2495cc engine.

Type
33

1964
- 66

7
(+ Type 39)

The
Lotus 33 was a Formula One car, based on the earlier Lotus
25 model, based on a monocoque chassis design. The 33 was
powered by the 1495cc Coventry Climax FWMV engine, with 205
bhp. The 33 was almost identical to the 25, but had suspension
designed around newer, wider tyres. The car was more rigid
and was simpler to build than its predecessor. For the 1965
season, Clark took the 33 to victory in 5 F1 races and second
in the world championship. The 33 was also used in for the
early races of 1966 Formula 1, (with a larger 2 litre Coventry
Climax V8 engine), until the larger engined Lotus 43 was ready.

Type
34

1964

3

A
single seater Indianapolis racing car, with an aluminium monocoque
chassis combined with a twin tube "ladder frame"
chassis. It had a 425bhp Ford quad cam DOHC V8 engine. However
the car had specially made Dunlop tyres, (Ford had recommended
high higher compound tyre) and the Dunlops tended to shred
over a race with full tanks of fuel. The car was not successful
in the 1964 season.

Type
35

1965

22

A
single seater Formula 2, Formula 3 and Tasman racing car.
The car was similar to the Type 27 and the Type 32. It had
a longer monocoque chassis with fully adjustable suspension.
The car had various engines for each Formula; F2 had a Cosworth
SCA 1000cc SOHC twin carb engine, with 117bhp, for F3 there
was a 1000cc Cosworth MAE engine, for the American Formula
B the Lotus had a 1.5 litre twin cam and for the Tasman, it
had a 2.5 litre Coventry Climax FPF engine. Jim Clark had
success with the car.

Type
36

1965
- 68

1200

Lotus
Elan S3 Coupe. A more civilised Lotus Elan with a fixed roof
and a more refined interior, aimed at a higher market place.
The car sold very well and was more popular than the S3 convertible.

Type
Three-7

1965

1

A
2 seater sports car, based on the Lotus Seven and aimed at
the 1965 Clubman Formula racing. The car had a 1498cc Ford
Cosworth 116E engine with 120bhp and a strenghened space frame
chassis. However, it was costly to make and the project was
abandoned. The one car that was made was raced in the Clubman
competitions and was successful.

Type
38

1965
- 66

10

The
Lotus 38 was the first mid-engined racing car to win the
Indianapolis 500, in 1965 by Jim Clark. It was an evolution
of the previous Lotus Type 29 and Lotus Type 34 cars, but
with an Aluminium monocoque, and was powered by the 4195cc
quad-cam Ford V8 fuel injected engine as used in the 34,
giving out around 500 bhp. The 38 was specially designed
with offset suspension, with the car body situated asymmetrically
between the wheels, offset to the left using suspension
arms of unequal length. Although in theory this was better
suited for the ovals.

Type
39 / 39B

1965
- 67

1

A
single seater Lotus racing car for the Australian Tasman racing
series. The car was originally intended as a Formula 1 car
and to feature the Coventry Climax flat 16 engine and the
car had a truncated aluminum alloy monocoque chassis to fit
it. However the engine had many problems and the engine project
was abandoned. So it was decided that the car should be use
for the Tasman series instead and should run the Coventry
Climax FPF 2495cc engine. The car was renamed the 39B for
the Tasman series and raced by Jim Clark and finished 3rd
in the series.

Type
40

1965

3

The
Lotus 40 was an attempt to sort out some of the problems
with the Lotus 30. It had a Ford 5295cc and then a Ford
5754cc V8 engine producing between 400 and 450bhp, with
a Hewland LG500 transmission. The chassis was stiffened
(from the 30) and a front and rear spoiler. However the
car was still as difficult to drive as the Type 30, it was
known as the "Lotus 30, with 10 more mistakes.".
It best result was in the West Coast series in America.
Jim Clark took the Type 40 to second place at Riverside
in 1966, behind Hap Sharp's Chaparral.

Type
41

1966
- 68

61

The
Lotus 41 was a Lotus Formula 3 and Formula 2 racing car which
ran between 1966 - 1968. John Joyce, Bowin Cars founder, was
the Lotus chief designer and was assisted by Dave Baldwin.
They started with a clean sheet of paper. The most notable
feature of the new design was the extensive use of stressed
steel panels in the bulkheads, welded steel around the footwell
and the instrument panel, a welded sheet of steel surrounding
the driver's shoulder, and a double-sided steel cradle surrounding
the gearbox. Floors were also welded for additional stiffness.
Another clever design feature of the Type 41 was the use of
a rear bulkhead as an oil overflow collector. Even the front
oil tank had its overflow routed through a labyrinthine path
using chassis tubes all the way to the back.

Type
42, 42F

1967

2

The
Lotus 42 was an Indianapolis racing car for the 1966 season.
It was development of the succesful Type 38 car. The aluminium
monoque chassis was designed around the proposed 4.2 litre
flat 16 BRM H16 engine with 650bhp. The car had problems when
tested at Snetterton. So for the 1966 season, the Type 38
was used with great success. The Lotus 42F was an attempt
to make the 42 successful for the 1967 season. It had a revised
chassis and different engine; the Ford Quad cam V8. The second
car, raced by Graham Hill, suffered engine problems and development
of the Type 42 was halted.

Type
43

1966

2

The
Lotus 43 was a Formula 1 racing car for the 1966 season. It
was partially based on the Lotus 38 Indianapolis car. The
car was designed in this way in response to new regulations
which came into force in 1966, which increased the engine
capacity to 3 litres. Along with newer, wider tyres better
able to handle the power of the larger engines, the need for
a more robust design was obvious. Chapman and Lotus made a
deal for use of BRM's new H 16 engine as well as using the
new tyres. The engine proved to be overweight, unreliable
and lcked power. Jim Clark, in the Type 43 won only one race
in the 1966 Formula 1 season, at the American Grand Prix at
Watkins Glen.

Type
44

1966

3

The
Lotus 44 was a single seater Formula 2 car. It was development
of the Type 35 car, with a full monocoque chassis, with wider
suspension and the Type 41 nose and tail. The car had the
997cc Cosworth SCA engine. 1966 was the last year for the
1 litre Formula 2 championship.

Type
45

1965
- 68

1968
- 73

1450

2400

The
Lotus Elan S3 & S4 convertible. As with the fixed head
Type 36, the 1965 Type 45 was an attempt to refine the Elan,
aiming the car at a higher market place. The car had the 1558cc
Lotus Ford Twin cam engine. The 1968 - 1973 S4 had squared-off
wheel arches, larger rear light units, a bonnet bulge for
the carburettors and revised dash board (with rocker switches).

Type
46

1966
- 68

644

The
Lotus Europa. The was the Lotus marketed at Europe. It featured
the new mid engined layout. The chassis was based on the Y
shaped chassis of the Elans. The engine was supplied by Renault,
the 1470cc Renault 16 engine, producing 78 bhp. The S1 Europa's
grp body, designed by John Frayling, was bonded to the chassis
for strength. Although the car's "bread van" styling
was criticised, the car's handling was highly regarded.

Type
47

1966
- 68

71

The
Lotus Europa competition car. The car had the Ford Cosworth
13C Twin Cam dohc 1594cc engine (producing 165bhp), with
a Hewland FT200 transmision fitted on a light weight fold
steel Y shaped chassis (similar to the Type 46 Europa chassis).
The body work was lighter than the Europa's and bonded to
the chassis. The car was successfully driven by John Miles
and Jackie Oliver in the 1967 World Sportcar Championship
500, plus winning 17 championship events. In 1968, the 47A
was developed, with the chassis was strengthened and the
body work was nolonger bonded, although the car ran against
much larger engined cars, the 47A set 10 new circuit records.

There
was 47F made with Cortina engines and the famous one off
GKN 47D, with a Rover 4.4 litre V8 engine, producing 292bhp
and a top speed on 180mph.

Type
48

1967
- 68

4

The
Lotus 48 was a Formula 2 single seater racing car. It featured
the 1599cc Ford Cosworth FVA dohc producing 220bhp fitted
to a Hewland FT200 transmission. The car had a full monocoque
chassis with a space frame rear chassis supporting the engine.
The car was successful in the 1967 season with 5 wins.

Type
49

1967
- 68

12

The
Lotus 49 was a very successful Formula 1 racing car, designed
for the 1967 season. It featured the then new Ford Cosworth
DFV (Double Four Valve) 2995cc V8 engine, specially developed
for Lotus. The 49 was a revolution in Formula 1 because
of its then-unique configuration (seen first with the H16
engine in the Lotus 43 and BRM P83) as the engine acted
as a chassis member. The Lotus 49 was one of the first F1
cars to use wings (Chaparrel had used them first in the
Can Am series), which appeared partway through 1968. Originally
these wings were bolted directly to the suspension and were
supported by slender struts, however after several breakages
which led to near fatal accidents, the high wings were banned
and Lotus was forced to mount the wings directly to the
bodywork. Both Jim Clark and Graham hill drove the 49 in
the 1967 F1 season. Graham Hill found the 49 easy to drive
and responsive, but the power of the Ford difficult to handle
at first. The V8 would give sudden bursts of power that
Hill had reservations about. However, Jim Clark won its
debut race at Zandvoort with ease and took another 3 wins
during the season, but early unreliability with the DFV
ended his championship hopes. It was felt that 1968 would
be a better year after Cosworth perfected the design, and
it was obvious the DFV and the design of the Lotus 49 was
the way forwards. Clark won the first race of the 1968 season,
the South African Grand Prix and the Tasman Series in Australia,
but was tragically killed in an F2 race at Hockenheim. Graham
Hill took over as team leader and won his second World Championship
title, repeating his 1968 win at Monaco. The 49 also took
Jochen Rindt to his first victory in 1969 at Watkins Glen,
New York, before he drove the type to its last win in the
1970 Monaco Grand Prix. The 49 was intended to be replaced
by the Lotus 63 midway through 1969, but when that car proved
to be a failure, the 49 was pressed into service until a
suitable car could be built. The 49 took 12 wins, contributed
to 2 driver and constructors' world championships, before
it was replaced by the Lotus 72 during 1970.

Type
50

1967
- 68

1968
- 74

1592

3576

The
Lotus Elan + 2. A 4 seater sports car. Ron Hickman started
design work on the Type 50 as early as 1963, and by 1964
Lotus had produced a scale model, known as the M20. A full
size working prototype was registered for the road 1966
(NRO 119D), called the Metier II Prototype. The car was
launched in September 1967 and was marketed as a sophisticated
family sports car. The production car had a 1558cc Lotus
Ford Twin Cam engine producing 118bhp and a 4 speed transmission
supported on a Y fork frame chassis. The Lotus had a grp
body a pop up lights, improving the car's aerodynamics.
In 1968 a luxury +2S was launched and in February 1971 the
+2S 130 was launched, featuring a 126bhp Big Valve Twin
cam engine producing 126bhp. In October 1972 the +2S 130/5
was fitted with a 5 speed gearbox.

Type
51

1967
- 68

200

A
single seater Formula Ford racing car. In 1967 a new Formula
was created, Formula Ford, intended for "up and coming"
racing Drivers. Lotus used the old Type 22 /Type 31 space
frame and fitted the 1500cc Ford Cortina GT Pushrod engine
to the car. The car was later fitted with a 1599cc engine.

Type
52

1968

1

A
one off prototype for the Lotus Europa Twin Cam.

Type
53

-

-

Sports
car intended to be built by Lotus Components. Was never made.

Type
54

1968
- 71

2750

The
Lotus Europa S2 was introduced in April 1968. It used the
same Renault engine as the Type 46, but offered a number of
refinements, including electric windows, fully adjustable
seats, a new interior, and a polished wooden facia for the
dashboard. Lotus switched to bolt fasteners to connect the
body work to the chassis, rather than resin bonding. A small
number of Type 54s were modified to Federal specification.

Type
55

1968

1

The
Formula 3 Prototype racing car. It was designated the Type
55 (41X) and the body work was designed in a wedge shape.
The car had a 997cc Holbay Ford 4 cylinder engine, with a
Hewland Mk4 transmission.

Type
56

1968

3

The
Lotus 56 was a single seater racing car, designed and built
to compete in the 1968 Indianapolis 500. The car had a Pratt
& Whitney STN6B-74 PT6 turbine powered engine, on a
ladder framed monocoque chassis. 3 Lotus 56s made and were
driven by Joe Leonard in the numbert 60 car, Art Pollard
in the number 20 and Graham Hill in the number 70. Leonard
in the number 60 was the fast qualifier at 171.559 mph and
dominated the race but dropped out while leading on lap
191 with fuel pump driveshaft failure.

Type
56B

1968

1

A
56B car was made in an attempt to rectify the problem of
the Type 56. The car had a revised bolbous wedge shaped
body work, to accommodate larger fuel tanks and the Pratt
& Whitney STN6-74 PT6 turboprop engine. The car was
competatively unsuccessful.

Type
57 & 58

1968

1

A
Lotus 57 (for Formula 1) and Lotus 58 (For Formula 2) was
built around the same monocoque chassis. The car was initally
run as the Type 58 car, with a Ford FVA and tested by Graham
Hill. However, with a lack of enthusiasm for F2 with in Lotus,
the project was dropped. Later in the year, the Chassis was
completely rebuilt as a Prototype F1 car, confusingly designated
a lower number, Type 57. The car was fitted with a 2.5 litre
Ford DFW engine. The Prototype was never developed.

Type
59

1969

44

A
single seater F2 and F3 racing car. The car had a Holbay Ford
R68 997cc engine, producing 117bhp, with a GRP body and supported
on a tubular spaceframe chassis. The car was destinguishable
by it's front "snout" nosed design. The car had
much success competitively, winning the F3 championship. For
F2 the car had wings either side of the nose and a rear wing,
however was not a succesful.